Bentley defies boo boys

10 September 2007 08:25

Blackburn Rovers winger David Bentley has shrugged off the chorus of boos that greeted his full England debut in the 3-0 victory over Israel at Wembley.
The 23-year-old was given the bird by a large section of the Wembley crowd, having missed the European Under-21 Championships earlier on this summer, citing tiredness for his pullout.
However, an unrepentant Bentley told The Sun: "I thought it was coming. To be honest, it was probably good entertainment if you're not on the receiving end.
"But I was there making my England debut, so I'm not worried about anyone else.
"I've made a lot of strong decisions in my career, like whether to leave Arsenal and also with the decision not to go to the Under-21s. I've never, ever regretted it.
"A lot of people had a go at me, but I knew I was doing the right thing for my career, for Blackburn and for my England career.
"Those decisions make you stronger as a person and as a player and what happened at Wembley will only make me stronger.
"I was worried about fatigue come November or December this year.
"If I'm fatigued in a couple of months' time then I won't be going to the Euros. That is my goal and my dream and I really think I can push on from here."